This invention relates to interactive games and, more particularly, to game apparatus which enables a player to interact with images on a video screen, to interact with another player, or to interact with other game elements to permit solo play without the need for video images.
Over the years, many types of interactive video games have been designed One type of such game employs a photo responsive device, usually shaped as a weapon such as a gun. The object of the game is generally to point and "shoot" at various targets displayed on the video screen. The photo responsive portion of the weapon is designed to detect these targets by responding to various light modulation techniques used in the display of the target.
Some of the apparatus described above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,221 issued Aug. 10, 1971 to R. Baer; U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,480 issued Apr. 17, 1973 to R. Baer; U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,861, issued Nov. 23, 1976 to R. Baer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,158, issued Jan. 29, 1985 to R. Baer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,045, issued July 26, 1983 to R. Baer; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,601, issued Aug. 26, 1986 to P. Shreck, et al.
In addition to the above, several patents disclose photosensitive devices for use in target games. Among these patents are U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,290, issued Oct. 18, 1977 to A. Villa; U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,811, issued Oct. 23, 1979 to B. Meyer, et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,144, issued Aug. 6, 1985 to M. Juarez, et al.
One of the shortcomings of these prior art devices is that they do not provide for two-way interaction with the displayed video images. For example, in a marksman type game it is highly desirable for the video images to represent not just a moving target to be "shot" at by the player, but these images should also be capable of "shooting back" at the player to increase the realism of the game play. Generally, the prior art games use the video display only as a target.
Another shortcoming of prior art interactive video games is that the game components cannot be used for game play in the absence of the video display. Hence, if a television set is not available, the game cannot be played. Further, such prior art games generally do not permit multiple players to interact directly with each other. They can only interact with the video display images
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved interactive game apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an interactive video marksman game in which the video images act as targets as well as marksman.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide interactive game apparatus suitable for game play with or without a video display.